UMNO yet to receive invitation to join 'Himpunan 355' - Annuar

UMNO has yet to decide whether or not to join the 'Himpunan 355' gathering to be held at Dataran Merdeka on Feb 18.

UMNO Information chief Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the party had not received any invitation to join the gathering from PAS, as the organiser.

"UMNO has yet to take an official stand on the matter...it's all up to the president (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak).

"I have talked about this with the UMNO senior leaders earlier today, but we have not received any invitation," he told a press conference after attending a corporate discourse titled "Gagasan Menjunjung Amanah Rakyat" here today.

Nevertheless, Annuar said he was in the opinion that the gathering was necessary to provide some answers and better explanation the proposed amendment to the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 (Act 355) to the public.

"Personally, I think any gathering to provide explanation to the public so that they can obtain greater understanding is a good thing to do as it (Act 355) has become a theme of polemical exchange and issue of public concern.

On Jan 7, the organising chairman Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said PAS would hold a gathering to provide to the public full explanation on the Private Member's Bill to amend Act 355.

He explained that PAS was the party responsible for providing the explanation on the bill as the bill was brought forth by its president, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and that it should be done before the next sitting of the Parliament in March. - BERNAMA